§ Mr. Peter Freemanasked the Minister of Health, in view of the continuing increase in the number of cases of cancer recorded and the increase in the number of deaths each year during the last 50 years, he will now recommend the
406Wtaken to convert coal into smokeless and gaseous fuels and so avoid the pollution of the atmosphere and make use of the by-products for fertilisers, dyes, drugs, motor-fuels and other purposes.
§ Mr. Geoffrey LloydBetween 1946 and 1952 the consumption of coal for electricity generation has risen by 35.6 per cent. and the tonnage of coal carbonised by 24.4 per cent. Included in the latter figure is an increase of 22.0 per cent. in the tonnage of coal carbonised by the gas industry, which is the principal supplier of solid smokeless fuel and gas for the general domestic and industrial market. These increases compared with an increase of only 1.7 per cent. in all other inland consumption of coal during the same period.
The resultant increases in the availability of smokeless fuels produced from coal are shown in the following table:
appointment of a Royal Commission to inquire into this disease.
§ Mr. Iain MacleodA great volume of research is being carried out, and information is being exchanged both inside the country and internationally. The Medical Research Council is promoting and coordinating cancer research in a wide variety of ways, and maintaining close relations with two important voluntary bodies, the British Empire Cancer Campaign and the Imperial Cancer Research Fund. I am not satisfied that a Royal Commission could make any special contribution towards solving the problems in this field.